Improved fire-escape



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JOSEP-H strnenn, or New Youri, N. Y.

Lenen Patent N0.1o1,393, daad March 29, 1870.

IMPROVED FIRE-ESCAPE.

The cheulereferred to in these Letters Patent and making part d' the same.

To all whom it may concern I yBe it known that LJosEPH STEGER, of the city,

county, and State of New York, have invented a new and 4improved Fire-Escape; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrip- -tion thereof, 'which will enable thosef'skilled inthe structed thatitcan be readily secured to .the front of a bouse, as indicated in the drawing. This balcony is provided with a hatchway, a, whichcan be opened or closed by means of ahinged cover, b. This cover connects, by a link, c, with a ladder, B, that has. its fulcrum on a pivot, d, secured in the' bottom rails of the balcony, in suoli a manner that, when the cover b'is closedldown, tbe ladder will be caused to swing up under the bottom'of the balcony, and, when the cover is raised, the ladder is turned down to the balconybelow or to the ground.

The'connection between the cover?) and the ladder may, however, be changed in various ways; for instance, toothed segments may be used; and I do' not wish to confine myself to the peculiar' connection shown iu thedrawing.

To the outside bottom rail of the balcony is pivotedv a railing, d, which connects with theside piece of the ladder by a link, e, so that when -the ladderl is turned down the railing will turn up, and cioe versa.

When the cover b is closed and fastened by a suitable catch or bolt, thel ladder is firmly locked under the bottom of the balcony, sothat it cannot be turned down, and access from below is prevented. j

In practice, I propose to secure one of my balconies under the windows in the 'several stories of a building, as shown in thedrawing, so that, in case of a lire, the ladder can be readily lowered from one balcony to the other, and, if the ladders are lowered, they afford the means of escape for women and children, as well as for .strong men, and all danger of loosing ones foothold and falling down 'to the ground is prevented.

When the ladders are up and the covers b closed, the balconies are rendered perfectly secure, and the dangerof falling down through the hatchways is prevented.

ltayill be noticed that the combination of the ladder with the` cover b is the-same as that described in Letters Patent granted to ne May 19, 1868, and I disclaim in my present application everything shown and described in these 4Letters Patent.

'I disclaim any of the parts the subject Imatter of".

the Lettei-slateut of JOSEPH STEGER, granted May 19, 1869.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with a balcony A, of the ladder B and trap-doorb, the lat-ter being connected together by means of links c and the sides of the ladder, which are extended beyond the point et, where the-ladder is pivoted and suspended, substantially as and for the purpose described. A

JOSEPH STEGER. Witnesses:

W. HAUFF,

E. F. 'KASTEN'HUBER 

